BRITISH
holocaust historian David Irving (right) says he will
defy New Zealand immigration authorities and visit New
Zealand, despite being barred from the country. The
controversial academic is automatically denied entry to New
Zealand because he has been deported from another country.
However, Irving said he intended to keep his appointment to
speak at the Wellington Press Club next month.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said she would be
"astonished" if he was allowed in. "It would take a special
directive to give him entry," she said. Despite the Prime
Minister's words, Irving remains adamant about his visit. "I
know exactly what the legal position is and I will be in New
Zealand on the time and date that I've specified," he told
reporters.

Irving's holocaust denial views have made him a
controversial figure, and he was deported from Canada in
1992. The New Zealand Jewish community welcomed the stand
made by immigration officials. "It means that his presence
here to spread the usual anti-Jewish messages will be
denied," New Zealand Jewish Council president David
Zwartz said.

"There will be relief, particularly by those who survived
the Holocaust, which he said didn't happen, but also those
members of the New Zealand Jewish community that lost
members of their family in the Holocaust," Zwartz said.
Immigration Service spokeswoman Kathryn O'Sullivan
said under the Immigration Act Irving was automatically
denied entry and would have to apply for a special direction
to enter New Zealand.

Irving said he did not intend to
make such an application. The New Zealand Jewish Council
initially made a request to Ethnic Affairs Minister
Chris Carter that Irving be kept out of New
Zealand. The council said in an earlier statement Irving
was "well known for his anti-Jewish writings and
activities, and was found by the High Court in London in
2002 to be racist, [and] an active Holocaust
denier".

Zwartz said the people who have said he should be allowed
here, to uphold freedom of expression, seemed to "overlook
the fact that his views were already widely known and
available through his website, tapes, books and videos".

Green MP Keith Locke has accused
the Immigration Service of not upholding the right of free
speech in its refusal to allow Irving entry. National Press
Club president Peter Isaac said Irving should still
be allowed to come to speak. "The bulk of people I spoke to
indicated that we want to make up our own minds, we want to
hear this man directly, find out about him and how he holds
those views."